


Winter Snow

by BadWolfRose (BadWolf1988)



Category: Dog The Bounty Hunter, Dog and Beth: On the Hunt
Genre: Complete, F/M, Family, Fluff and Angst, Interracial Relationship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-09-02 04:49:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 16,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8651650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadWolf1988/pseuds/BadWolfRose
Summary: She was a Harry Potter obsessed loner. He was a guy who was trying to leave his old life in the past where it belonged. Living and working together in close quarters at Aspen Mountain Cabins and Ski Resort the two find themselves falling in love. Dakota Chapman/OFCCOMPLETE





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Nothing to see here folks except for a complete work of fiction. 
> 
> Author's Note: I just recently learned about all of the drama that went down between Dakota and Leland a few years back. I know it had something to do with Dakota's girlfriend and Leland ended up throwing Dakota out of the house. That fight is the basis for the father/son drama in this story. This is my fictional attempt at fixing the dysfunctional mess that is the Chapman family.

I sighed and put my book (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) down as yet another yuppie couple – him on his cell phone and her wearing a fur coat and enough diamonds to feed a third world country for a year – arrived to check in. I hated winter, even though it literally was my name. My parents must have thought that they were clever. Let's name the half-black girl Winter January Snow (my last name if you would believe it).

Winter was the busiest time of year at Aspen Mountain Cabins and Ski Resort. My maternal grandparents had started the place with four log cabins furnished in rustic but warm décor and a fifteen room main resort in 1952. Over the years it had grown to include twenty-six more cabins, a clubhouse with a bar, library and ten fireplaces surrounded by comfy couches, and a full-fledged sky resort in the back of the main building. The resort occupied almost five miles worth of land. When my grandparents passed away the resort had been left to my parents and one my parents would leave it to me. I was currently in college at nearby Western State Colorado University. It was over in Gunnison but close enough that I could commute and still be around the help out my parents. I was studying hotel hospitality (Seriously, what else would I study?) and at nineteen was set to graduate in the spring...I was an egghead who had graduated high school at sixteen.

As I was saying...Winter was our busiest season for obvious reasons (hint-hint...SNOW!). The resort was a ghost town from March through August save for the occasional couple looking for a weekend away from the kids. September through February the place was always booked solid and it was hard to get a moment to myself. Between work and school, every moment of my day was taken up.

This year I was doubly annoyed. My professors had all doubled down on the amount of homework they assigned. The Aspen Filmfest was in town and not only was the resort booked but so was every other hotel in town. To add insult to injury, I had broken my right wrist the previous week while giving a snowboarding lesson to a group of guests. Our normal instructor had quit without notice so I was filling in until my father could hire a new one. Now that I was out of commission we were having to refund customers who had pre-paid for lessons...and more than a few were unhappy about it. One particularly redneck Texan had even been kind enough to call me a “half-breed” when I had given him his refund. At least half-breed was a step up from nigger and mutt...two names I had heard way too often in my short time on earth. Half-breed kind of sounded like something out of Harry Potter. It sounded like a name a Death Eater would call a half-blood witch or wizard. Half-bloods were almost always better, nobler people than Death Eaters – for example: Severus Snape. I decided that I would wear the insult like a badge of honor. He could have called me something worse...like Malfoy or Lord Voldemort.

I swiped the couple's key card to activate it just as my dad was coming out of the back office where he had spent a good portion of the morning going over the books.

“Enjoy you stay,” I slid the key card into a little envelope and handed it over to the couple before turning to address my dad. “What's up, gunny?”

My dad was a six foot, five inches tall wall of muscle who had retired from the Marine Corps only five years ago with the rank of Gunnery Sargent. He had met my mom at a bar near his base in South Carolina when she had been attending college in the area and they married six months later. Three months after that they were expecting me. My dad put in a transfer to Hawaii upon learning that my mom was pregnant with me. A black man married to a white woman still wasn't a very popular or accepted thing back then in their part of the south. I was born in Kona, Hawaii. That's right. I was born in Hawaii – in the middle of July for goodness sakes – and my parents had named me Winter January. I felt for celebrity kids like Apple Martin and North West. I really did. Having a weird name always seemed to make you stand out a bit more than someone named something normal – like Ashley or Bobby. My mom and I had moved to Colorado when my grandparents were killed in a car crash when I was five. From the ages of five to fourteen, my dad was reduced to a frequent visitor in our home more than a resident. Mom and I flew out to see him as often as we could with Mom running the resort but it had still taken a lot of work and a lot of love to keep our little family together back then. We had all been thrilled when Dad finally retired and came home to stay.

“You can stop refunding snowboarding lessons, my gimpy girl,” He informed me as he handed me a blue personnel file. “I hired a guy this morning while you were in class.”

“You know that gimpy is considered a derogatory term, right, Pops?” I asked him.

Dad snorted. “Everything is too damn PC these days. What did Eleanor Roosevelt say about Marines?” He quizzed.

Between Dad and my paternal grandfather (God rest his soul), himself a Vietnam-era Marine, I had been well-schooled on all things Marines.

“The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps,” I easily quoted. I loved Eleanor Roosevelt quotes.

Dad nodded, “Once a Marine...always a Marine. I am who I am, kiddo,”

I just shook my head as I opened the file. The guy's name was Dakota Chapman. He was twenty-one and his last occupation was...bounty hunter? Okay...that was one I'd never seen before on an application. His last address...was in Kona, Hawaii.

“Gunny, seriously?” I laughed. “You hired a Hawaiian to give snowboarding lessons?”

Dad shrugged. “By virtue of your birth you're a Hawaiian too, kid,” He pointed out.

I held up my cast wrist. “Exhibit A on why I shouldn't be giving lessons.”

“Being Hawaiian had nothing to do with that you know it,” Dad laughed. “You were the one who tried to kick a soccer ball while strapped to your snowboard. You never did tell me what you were thinking doing that...?”

I was mentally sorting the people in my afternoon lesson into the four Hogwarts houses. I had one brave Gryffindor, three sweet but dumb Hufflepuffs, one know-it-all Ravenclaw, and the kid who kicked the ball my way became my third Slytherin.

“I really wasn't thinking,” I answered...at least not about my actual job anyway.

Dad just shook his head at me. “Anyway, I like this Chapman kid. He had some family troubles so he's moving here to start over. He's got a good head on his shoulders and he's spent a lot of time here on the slopes. I'm giving him the cabin next to yours.”

The resort's original four cabins were now only used as private residences for family and staff. My dad's mom, who I called GiGi, lived in one. My parents have converted the one next door to hers into a two-story, six-bedroom main house. The final two cabins sat half a mile away at the base of Aspen Mountain. I lived in the two bedroom while a permanent member of staff always lived in the other. My dad must really like this guy and be planning on keeping him on staff in the off-season.

“I'm going to take over the desk for the afternoon. I want you to drive out to the cabin and make sure that it's all set up for Chapman,” He handed me the key. “Then take the rest of the day off...you look tired, kiddo.”

I gave Dad a grateful hug before stuffing my book into my messenger bag and heading out to my Range Rover. To some an expensive toy, to people living in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, a total lifesaver.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a ten-minute drive from the main resort to the two remote cabins. The new guy's front door was literally only about fifteen feet from my own. Since it was so close, I parked in my own driveway before making my way over and letting myself in.

I did a quick walk through of the small cabin.

All the protective covers had been taken off of the wooden furniture and I could smell the lemony scent of furniture polish in the air. Everything had been dusted. The kitchen and bathroom had been cleaned.

I was in the bedroom making sure that fresh linens had been put on the bed when I nearly had a heart attack. Hell, it might have actually been a minor coronary event.

“Wow, when Mr. Snow said the job came with a cabin...he didn't say anything about a pretty girl,”

I probably jumped at least a foot in the air and brought my hand to my chest. I spun around and came face to face with...perfection. Yep, the tanned skinned guy with the tied back long, black, curly hair who was standing in the doorway of the bedroom wearing a smirk on his too-handsome face was the closest thing to the perfect looking man that I had ever seen.

“Dakota, I take it?” I asked once my heart had calmed down a bit.

He nodded and stepped forward, reaching out his hand in greeting, “Yeah, you must be Winter? Your old man said that I might find you down here.” He had a really unique, mellow voice laced with a hint of an island accent.

“That would be me and I can't...” I held up my cast arm to show why I couldn't shake hands.

“Ouch, girl – what'd you do?” He asked with a wince.

Okay, I can't tell him how clumsy and airheaded I really aim...lie!

“I tried to kick a soccer ball while strapped to my snowboard and ended up sliding backward down the bunny slope and breaking my wrist against a tree.” Word vomit...just freakin' wonderful.

He laughed and I really couldn't blame him. “Why would you do that?”

Alright, mouth, let's try this again. I can't tell him that I was playing human Sorting Hat....lie!

“I was mentally sorting the group of people in my lesson into the four Hogwarts Houses from Harry Potter and I wasn't really paying attention.” Crap, my brain, and my mouth had stopped communicating. The Hawaiian hottie in front of me had caused me to short circuit. Time to bail. “Here's your key,” I dug it out of my back pocket and handed it to him. “Welcome to the staff...I should probably get going...”

“Why?” He raised an eyebrow. “You on the clock?”

“No,” I shook my head. “I'm just running my mouth like I've been dosed with Veritaserum so I figured I'd leave before I make a total fool of myself.” Too late.

“Did Professor Snape let his hand slip over your morning glass of pumpkin juice?” He smirked.

Oh, Sweet Lord, he had just paraphrased the late, great Alan Rickman's portrayal of Severus Snape from the Harry Potter films. He became instantly fifty percent hotter in my book.

“Good to know,” Dakota chuckled. “When I want to get on your good side all I have to do is quote Harry Potter.”

Fuck my life. I had said that out loud.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if the racist/racial undertones bother readers but I'm trying to show a problem that is still very real in America. A problem that is coming to a head now that Trump has been elected President. I have a black step-mom, a mixed little sister and I grew up in the Carolinas. I have seen hate – from both sides of the fence – and I will NOT gloss over reality for the sake of storytelling.
> 
> To fans of Dog and Leland Chapman...I used to love them too but I've learned WAY too much negative stuff about them recently. Between Leland's fight with Dakota and him moving to Alabama while his kids are in Hawaii...he's not exactly my dream guy anymore. Add on the fact that in all of the pictures I have seen of him recently his eyes looked glassed over like he's drunk or high...I kind of expected better of him.

The next time I saw Dakota was at six o'clock the next morning. My Range Rover wouldn't start and I needed to get on the road if I was going to make it to my first class on time. My parents weren't answering their house phone or their cell phones and GiGi wasn't allowed to drive anymore because of her poor eyesight. Needless to say...Dakota caught me in the process of the kicking the shit out of my tire.

“Damn girl, it is way too early to be that angry,”

I turned around to find him standing at the end of my driveway. His hair was loose this morning and it hung down to his shoulders. He was wearing a black MMA hoodie to protect against the early November cold and he had his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans.

“What are you doing here?” I groaned. It was way too early to be dealing with the Hawaiin hottie.

“I was warming up my truck to head into to town when I heard you yell, Merlin's balls, so I figured that I would come and check on you.” He chuckled.

Dear God in Heaven, how many more times was I going to making a fool of myself in front of this dude?

“My truck won't start and I'm going to be late for school,” I complained to him. “My stupid parents won't answer the phone and we haven't let my GiGi drive since she hit a tree going fifteen miles an hour.”

Dakota took me by surprise when he grabbed my messenger bag off of the hood of my Range Rover and slung it over his shoulder.

“Come on, Luna, I'll give you a ride to school.”

He had just called me Luna...as in Luna Lovegood...the most awesome female character in all of the Harry Potter fandom.

“I go to school in Gunnison...that's almost an hour away.” I pointed out.

He shocked me further by grabbing my hand and pulling me closer so he could wrap his arm around my waist.

“That just means that I've got you all to myself for an hour.” He kissed my cheek and I had to resist screaming like a One Direction fan at a concert.

I managed to keep my mouth from running away from me for most of the drive to my college. I actually allowed myself to relax around another human being...something I had a very hard time doing.

“I can't believe that we were both born in Hawaii,” Dakota laughed as we drew closer to my school. “Small world,” He shook his head. “A Marine brat and Dog the Bounty Hunter's grandson meet in snowy Colorado...must be fate.”

Holy crap on a cracker! He was Dog the Bounty Hunter's grandson?! As in the old bounty hunter who had gotten caught on tape using the word nigger? God had a mean sense of humor. The last guy I had been interested in was the fictional character, Dean Winchester from the TV show Supernatural. I finally develop an interest in a real live person and he's the grandson of an old racist.

He must have sensed my unease as he pulled into the campus parking lot and killed his engine.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look at me, “I'm not like him. I don't see color. Please don't judge me based off of my family because...when I look at you I see one the prettiest, most unique girls that I have ever met.

“Really?” I smiled and bit my lip. That was the nicest thing a guy had ever said to me before.

“Really,” He smiled and added. “Why don't you meet me tonight at nine in the clubhouse? We can get to know each other a little better.”

“Deal,”

I must have turned five different shades of red when he leaned forward and kiss my forehead before I got out of his truck.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate Twilight but for some odd reason LOVE Jasper (might be that he's a southern boy or the way Jackson Rathbone played him – who knows) and I will read fanfiction centered around him. A series about him with less sparkling and undertones of domestic abuse would have been WAY better. Edward? Yuck! Robert Pattinson fans please don't attack me. Believe it or not, I actually think he's a good actor outside of Twilight. I mean he was Cedric Diggory (before he was Edward I might add)...enough said. Twilight fans...yeah, go ahead and attack me...I don't really care. This author's note will make much more sense after you read this chapter.
> 
> Author's Note II: The things I saw about Baby Lyssa...I got DIRECTLY from her book, Walking on Eggshells. The rest of what I say about the Chapman family is all public knowledge if you know how to work Google.

As George Washington (not really) said...I can not tell a lie. I went about the rest of my day in a happy fog. It was like I had purchased a Patented Daydream Charm from Fred and George Weasley. All I could think about was Dakota.

My philosophy professor, Dr. Rushing was late, as per usual. The eccentric middle-aged woman was always running at least thirty minutes behind. While waiting, I had pulled out my laptop and googled Dakota's name. I learned two things. One: Dakota's family was well and truly messed up. He had one aunt who had been killed in a car accident involving drugs. One who had been arrested for public intoxication and who proceeded to write a tell-all book detailing how it wasn't her fault because someone had spiked her drink when she wasn't looking. One of his uncles was in prison. Another had sold his father out to the tabloids. And yet another was completely estranged from the family. Two: Dakota had a bad habit of taking shirtless selfies and posting them to the internet. I found a few articles on a fight that he had with his father, Leland, and a few more about him getting fired from his grandfather's reality show. I had chosen not to read any of them. I really liked Dakota and I wanted to give him the chance to tell me about his past himself.

After school, I had a rare day off so I went back to my cabin and changed out of my jeans and sweater into a pair of white leggings and a black yoga shirt with the words Baby Girl printed across the front in blue lettering. I pulled on a pair of black uggs, grabbed Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (to hell with homework) and headed for the clubhouse.

Once there I went straight for my favorite spot...an overstuffed brown leather couch in a corner of the clubhouse directly in front of the smallest fireplace. When my favorite waitress, a college girl around my age named Sue, came around I ordered my usual – a pumpkin spice hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkled on top. It wasn't actually on the menu and Sue was the only waitress nice to take the time to make it for me. I called it the Fred in honor of the fallen Weasley twin.

I was on my fourth Fred and was halfway through my book and must have lost track of the time because the next thing I knew someone was kicking my foot.

I looked up to find Dakota standing in front of me holding a plate with a sandwich and wearing a smirk.

“Gunny asked me to bring you this,” He set the plate on the side table next to me. Dad must really like Dakota if he had him calling him Gunny. “He said you got your hands on a new Harry Potter book and when I told him that I was coming to see you, he gave me the plate and he asked that I make sure you eat. He said you lose track of everything when you read those books.” He took a seat next to me. “He also told me to tell you to lay of the Freds or you won't be able to sleep tonight. Now, I have a question – What the hell is a Fred?”

I laughed and reached to the side table to grab my mug. I handed it to him and watched as he took a sip, grimaced like he was in physical pain, and handed it back to me.

“Damn, Luna...that's truly disgusting.” He flagged down Sue and ordered a mint hot chocolate.

So...was Luna his nickname for me now? If it was...awesome! Wait a minute...he told my dad that he was coming to meet me?

“Yeah,” Dakota nodded. What the hell was with me and thinking out loud lately? “I wanted to make sure that it was okay to date you and I wanted him to know that my intentions were honorable.”

Who the hell was this guy? Jasper Whitlock (don't you judge me) aka the only redeemable Twilight character and the reason I read Twilight fanfiction? Was this nineteenth century Texas? Dakota had actually asked my dad's permission to court me like I was some kind of southern belle from Gone With the Wind.

“This is a date?” I asked just to clarify.

“This is us getting to know each other to see if we like each other enough to go on a date.” He explained as I set my book aside ( I set aside Harry Potter...that's how I know I like him) and Sue arrived with his hot chocolate.

“Okay,” I chuckled a little nervously. “How do we go about this?” I had never actually been on a date before (yeah, yeah, I know, I'm pathetic) and was totally out of my depths.

“First, you pick up your sandwich and eat,” He ordered.

I grabbed my sandwich off of the plate and took a bite. Peanut butter and sliced strawberries...my favorite. Dad must have made this himself.

“And all we do is ask each other questions,” Dakota continued once he was satisfied that I was eating. “We take turns. Can I go first?”

I nodded, my mouth too full to actually respond.

“What's your favorite color? Mine's green.”

That was an easy one. I swallowed before I answered, “Ravenclaw blue. What's your favorite song?”

“Letter to Me by Brad Paisley.” I don't know why – maybe his age – but I was expecting something from Eminem or Korn. The choice of a country song surprised me. “Same question,”

“Little Moments by Brad Paisley,” I guess we had the same taste in music. “Why Letter to Me?”

Dakota pulled the hair tie out of his hair and ran his fingers through it, “Because it reminds me that we aren't defined by our pasts and that there is always hope – and a good woman – waiting up ahead. Why Little Moments?”

I took a deep breath and let it out, “Because I want a guy to love me like that.”

He smiled slightly at my answer.

By the time I finished my sandwich and the rest of my Fred, the questions – and answers – had gotten a lot more personal.

“Why do you love Harry Potter so much?” He nodded at my book which lay forgotten on the glass coffee table.

“Because the wizarding world is a place where bullied kids like Harry and even oddballs like Luna can find a place to fit in; a place to belong. That's a pretty wonderful concept to someone like me who has never really fit in anywhere.” That was the first time that I had ever told anyone that.

One part of my story that I left out earlier is that my mom pulled me out of public school when I was in the fifth grade and homeschooled me until I graduated high school. I didn't fit in with my classmates. I was too black for most of the white kids and not black enough for most of the black kids. Everything from my race (Aspen wasn't exactly racially diverse) to my love of Harry Potter made a prime target for bullies. The bullying got so bad that my grades plummeted and my teachers were talking about putting me in Special Education classes. Luckily, my parents were having none of that and my mom took charge of my education.

“What's your biggest regret?” I don't know what but I kind of wanted him to feel as exposed as he had just made me feel.

I watched as he cast his eyes to the floor before answering, “I have two...my ex-girlfriend and the state of my relationship with my old man – they both kinda go hand in hand.” He turned to look at me. “I'll tell you about it one day, I promise, but not tonight, sweetie,” He shook his head.

I nodded and smiled to let him know that it was okay to drop it.

“Okay,” He laughed and clapped his hands together. “Enough with the heavy crap – How old were you when you got your first kiss?”

Why did he have to ask me that? This was going to be humiliating.

“I'll have to get back to you on that one.” Why did I have to be an honest person?

Dakota's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Seriously?”

I nodded and I knew that I had to be blushing.

“You're nineteen right?” He asked scooting over until we were sitting pressed up against each other. He put his arm around my shoulders.

“Yeah,” Why was he so close?

He smiled and leaned forward at the same time that he used the arm around my shoulders to pull me closer to him. He softly kissed my lips, nibbling on my bottom lip before pulling back.

“Now you can tell people you were nineteen when you got your first kiss,” He pushed a piece of my curly black hair behind my ear. Again he kissed me but this it was deeper and much more passionate. I shivered when he slipped his tongue into my mouth. When he pulled away, my brain was fuzzy. It was like I had a Wrackspurt in my ear. “Which came first...the phoenix or the flame?” He asked, leaning his forehead against mine.

It took a moment for my Wrackspurt-infested mind to realize what he asked me but when I did, I think I fell a little in love with him. You had to have read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to the know that question – and Luna Lovegood's answer to it.

“A circle has no beginning,” I answered like the good little fangirl that I was.

“And thus no end...kind of like us, I'm hoping,” He pecked my lips. “Because I'm positive that I want to date you.”

I laughed, “Me too,”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the real name of the girlfriend Dakota fought with Leland about, no one needs to correct me. I am choosing NOT to use it because the girl is still pretty young.

It was the week before Thanksgiving and Dakota and I had been dating for two weeks. We were taking things slow because this being my first relationship and all...I didn't have a clue what the hell I was doing. In fact, we were going so slow that tonight, Dakota would be visiting my cabin for the first time. Even though we were next door neighbors, Dakota was a gentleman who never went beyond my doorstep when saying goodnight.

It was Friday and my father had given us both the weekend off to rest up for the busy holiday week that lay ahead. We were always slammed for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Before I really even thought about what I was doing, I had invited him over for a Harry Potter movie marathon and Chinese.

It was exactly six when my doorbell rang. Dakota was right on time. When I opened the door, I was met with a Dakota that I had never seen before. He looked pissed.

“What's wrong?” I asked in concern.

“Was picking this up at the main building,” He held up a plastic bag from the local Chinese restaurant. They would only deliver to the front desk at the main building, not the cabins, so I had asked Dakota pick it up because he was just getting off his shift. “And I ran into a few guests who were just checking in...”

“Okay...?” What, had Hitler's ghost checked in? Why was he so upset?

“My dad's here...with his new tramp of a wife.” He growled as I stepped aside to let him in.

I still didn't know much about Dakota's relationship with his dad. All I knew was that they were estranged. He still talked to his mom and little brother and sister but not his dad or anyone on the Chapman side of his family.

I took the bag from his hand and led him into my kitchen.

“Dakota, I'm here for you...I really am,” I told him as I set the bag on the counter and I moved to stand in front of him. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “But in order for me to be there for you, I need you to open up a little,” I told him softly.

He gently pushed me away before pulling out one of the kitchen chairs and taking a seat. He pulled me to sit on his lap and wrapped his arms around my middle. “My parents divorced when I was a kid and my old man became...uninvolved. Me and my brother Cobie didn't really see him unless the reality show cameras were around and they wanted to boost ratings,” He blew out a breath before he continued. “When I was a teenager, my dad got with my sister Leiah's mom. Lynette was all about family and suddenly my dad wanted us around again. Dad even got me into the family business and I started appearing on my granddad's show. Then I met my ex-girlfriend. She was a golddigger and my dad warned me that she was only after the Chapman name but I thought that I was in love and didn't listen. I was already pissed at my dad for cheating on Lynette with his current wife so his word was pretty much dirt to me at that point. Long story short, I refused to break up with Ava so my old man kicked me out and my granddad fired me. Once I was off the show, Ava bailed.”

“That Slytherin bitch,” I hissed. What kind of an idiot would let a guy like Dakota go? If you looked up perfect in the dictionary it would say, See Him.

He chuckled and held me tighter. “Being with you always makes me feel better...but my dad wouldn't know I worked here if not for you,” His tone was teasing.

Huh? What did I do?

He had me turn in his lap until was straddling him in the chair. Well, this was...intimate.

One arm stayed wrapped around my waist while he brought a hand up to cup my cheek. “I went on Facebook about a week and a half ago for the sole purpose of changing my relationship status – to 'In a Relationship with Winter Snow' – and I was stupid enough to update my place of employment.” He kissed my nose.

“We're in a relationship?” Inside I was doing a happy dance. I didn't know that dating and being in a relationship were the same thing.

He laughed and kissed my lips, “I really hope you're my girlfriend, sweetie...I don't make a habit out of going around hugging and kissing on random girls...I'm not my dad.”

I nodded shyly and got up out of his lap. I reached for his hand, “Well, as your girlfriend, I say we eat dinner, visit the wizarding world, and just forget about everything – work, school, dads, trampy wives,” I pulled him to his feet. “Tomorrow will be here soon enough. Tonight's just for us.”

I walked to the cupboard and took out two plates just as Dakota came up behind me. “Will you cuddle with me?” He hugged me from behind. “Harry Potter is better with cuddles.”

“Always,” I turned my head and kissed his cheek. See, he wasn't the only one who could quote Severus Snape.


	6. Chapter 6

Dakota and I were laying my couch, halfway through Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when my doorbell rang.

I paused the movie and looked at the clock on the cable box. It was 10:30 at night. “Who the hell could that be?” I asked as I pushed myself off of my (very comfortable and warm) spot on Dakota's broad chest. Not even my parents came around this late unless it was an emergency. And if it was an emergency, my mother would be attempting to break down my front door in her panic.

I walked to the door and pulled it open.

Oh, shit. I knew the middle-aged man with the ponytail that was standing on my front porch.

“Hey, how's it?” He smiled politely. “You must be Winter?”

I nodded numbly. This was not good.

“Your dad told me I might find my son here.” Oh, fuck. Dakota was NOT going to be happy.

“Yeah – Do you mind holding on one minute?” I asked holding up a finger like he didn't know what the number one was and needed a visual.

“Sure,” He nodded.

I had a fake smile plastered on my face as I quickly closed the door.

I walked back to the living room. I was freaking out. I didn't know how my boyfriend was going to react to the fact that his father had shown up at my cabin uninvited in the middle of the night.

“Who was it, baby?” He sat up to look at me. I must have had a weird look on my face because he asked, “Are you alright, Winter?” He got to his feet.

“Please don't freak out,” I pleaded. I didn't know if Dakota had a temper but I wasn't exactly itching to make him angry either way.

He reached up and cupped my cheek. “Sweetie, what's wrong?”

“Yourdadisoutside,” I said in a rush.

“Come again?” He laughed.

“Your dad...is outside,” I said again.

His face lost all expression. He didn't say a word. He just silently stepped around me and walked to the front door and opened it.

“I can't believe you had the nerve to show up on my girlfriend's doorstep in the middle of the night,” He looked at his father and said coldly. “I told you earlier – I have NOTHING to say to you.”

“Dakota, I'm trying here,” I couldn't see his dad but I heard him. “Please...just talk to me,” There was a raw honesty and desperation in the older man's voice that broke my heart.

I walked to the door and wrapped my arm around Dakota's waist, “Hon...he's your dad. Just listen to what he has to stay. You'll regret it if you don't.” Growing up with a Marine for a father, I never knew if he was walking out the door for the last time every time that he deployed. I learned young to never leave anything left unsaid...or unheard.

“You are so lucky that I can't say no to her,” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to the side so his father could enter.

“Thank you, Winter,” His father smiled sincerely as he stepped inside.

“Not a problem, Mr. Chapman,” I responded as I moved to close the door.

“It's Leland,” His dad corrected.

“Leland,” I smiled. I would give Leland Chapman this...he was handsome. I now knew exactly where Dakota had gotten his good looks from. If I was ten years older, I would probably be interested. I turned to Dakota. “I'm still in my work clothes.” That was a lie and Dakota knew it. He had cornered me in the office to make out that afternoon when he was on break. I had been wearing a completely different outfit. “I'm going to go and have a bath while you two talk,”

Dakota shot me an annoyed look as I kissed him on the cheek before heading down the hallway and into my bedroom.

I closed my door and I walked into the ensuite bathroom and started running the tub. I really missed showers but my cast made them a real time-consuming nightmare.

As I stripped out of my jeans and hoodie, I silently prayed that I had done the right thing by inviting Leland in and forcing father and son to talk. It was obvious that Dakota still carried a lot of pain from his relationship with his dad and I hated to see him hurting.


	7. Chapter 7

After my bath, I slipped into a pair of dark gray yoga pants that had the words Baby Girl printed in red down the left leg. It was my favorite clothing line...so sue me. My dad's sister, my Aunt Gloria, had died of MS and part of the proceeds from all sales went towards funding MS research. I pulled a loose-fitting white sweatshirt on, pulled my curly hair up in a ponytail and headed down the hallway. Dakota and Leland had been alone for forty-five minutes. I hoped they were both still alive.

When I walked into my kitchen, I was stupefied to find both seated at my kitchen table, calmly talking. Neither one looked upset. Everything looked as it should. No shattered windows or broken tables. Neither one of the men looked to be injured in any way. Thank, Merlin.

Dakota smiled when he saw me. "Don't worry, sweetie, we didn't break anything...we're actually good." I could hear the happiness in his voice.

I was behind stoked to hear this. I walked to the wooden counter that was across from the table and leaned against it with my arms crossed. I softly smirked at him.

He sighed, "You can say it...but just this once..."

"I told you so!" I giggled.

"Hufflepuff," He grumbled under his breath but I still heard him.

Oh, hell no he did not just call me a Hufflepuff. Did I look like Cedric Diggory? Was I as dead as a doornail? Was I good for nothing else but taking care of magical plants and having a winning personality? I was a Ravenclaw...or a Gryffindor...and on my bad days maybe a Slytherin but I was NOT a damn Hufflepuff! They were the fictional equivalent of canon fodder!

"Voldemort," I glared at him and hissed.

His eyebrows shot up. "Well...even in the magical world that escalated quickly..."

Leland sat at the table, looking between the two of us in confusion. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

"Harry Potter," We said at the same time and looked at each other and laughed. The sight of us laughing made Leland crack up.

"Dakota," Leland said as he wiped away a tear of mirth. "I like this one...she's good for you."

I didn't really know Leland but I was happy that he approved of me in his son's life.

"I know she is," Dakota smiled at me affectionately before changing the subject. "Winter, my dad and his wife...Jamie," He hesitated briefly to say her name but there was no malice in his tone. "They're staying through the week and are going to be here for Thanksgiving..." He trailed off.

I knew why he had trailed off like that. Dakota had been invited to spend Thanksgiving with my family.

"Why don't you and Jamie join my family, Leland?" I suggested. I knew my parents wouldn't mind. My mom would have an excuse to pull out the good silverware. She loved a dinner party. And for some reason Leland just looked like the kind of guy that my dad would get along with; a man's man. "If you don't mind a retired Marine retelling the same war stories over and over again and my grandmother having a little too much wine, we'd be happy to have you,"

Leland nodded, "We'd like that," He got to his feet. "I'll leave you two kids to your plans...Jamie is probably wondering where I am by now,"

Dakota stopped and dropped a chaste kiss on my lips before walking to see his dad out.

I met him in the entryway as he shut the front door. He turned around to look at me before looking down at his watch. "Damn, baby, it's past midnight...I should get going..."

I didn't want him to leave. My small cabin would feel so empty once he was gone. I would feel alone. I had never really been close with anyone except for my parents and GiGi so I had never really known what I was missing out on when it came to companionship. I loved having Dakota around.

"Stay," I said so softly that I barely heard myself.

He took a closer so that he was now standing right in front of me. He reached up a hand and traced my jaw with his hand. "Are you sure? The news says there's a blizzard moving in tonight. Your old man warned me that if we get snowed in, it could take a day or two to dig us out..."

I didn't care. Normally, the thought of being snowed in would make me happy. I lived for the few times a year it happened. I loved being completely cut off from the outside world. Now, the thought of being cut off from the outside world only seemed inviting if Dakota was there to keep me company.

"I'm sure," I nodded but I decided to go a step further to make sure that my intentions for the weekend were known. "Why don't you run to your place and grab a few things...just in case?" I suggested.

I could tell that he was surprised but he hid it well.

"Alright, sweetie, I'll be back in a few minutes," He kissed me before putting on his jacket and heading out.


	8. Chapter 8

I can't believe that I had asked Dakota to stay...possibly for the full weekend. I couldn't believe a lot of the things that I was considering tonight.

Dakota was back with a backpack not even twenty minutes later.

“It's already coming down hard out there,” He dropped his bag by the door and took off his jacket before shaking the snow out of his hair.

“Looks like it,” I replied rather blandly for lack of anything else to say.

I watched as he took his boots off and set them by the door before he turned and came and took me into his arms. “Relax, Winter, nothing has to happen this weekend...I wasn't expecting it to,” He assured me as he laid a kiss on my forehead.

Wait a minute...did that mean that Dakota didn't want to have sex with me? I don't know why but I was feeling slightly hurt at the thought.

“Baby,” I felt his lips at my ear. His hot breath on my skin making me shiver. “You have no idea how badly I want you...” Was I thinking out loud again? “Yes, sweetie, you are,” He chuckled huskily as he laid a kiss on my ear. “As I was saying...I really want to make love to you...but I also want to wait.” He pulled back a little to look in my eyes. “I don't think you are ready to take that step yet and I want to wait until you aren't wearing this,” He reached down and tapped on my cast. “I don't think you want your first time to be when you're wearing a cast...and don't have full range of movement.”

“Then why did you agree to stay?” I asked. What could he possibly be gaining be spending so much time cooped up with me? He was used to handling my crazy in small doses. We had never spent more than a few hours at a time together since we had started dating.

“Because,” He looked at me like I might be a little slow in the head. “I want to spend as much time alone with you as I can. Because I really like the idea of going to sleep next to you...holding you. I want to know what you look like first thing in the morning before you put on all that makeup that you don't need.”

I'm pretty sure that was the moment when I realized that I was falling head over heels in love with him. Surprisingly, that knowledge didn't scare me as much as I thought it would.

“We do still have six and a half more Harry Potter films to make it through,” I smiled as I leaned up to kiss him.

That night, as we lay close together in my queen size bed with Dakota's arms, wrapped firmly around me, all I could think was...bring on the blizzard.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, courts tend to side with the mother in custody cases unless abuse or neglect is involved. That's the way it goes in American courts and sadly a lot of mothers do abuse the system. There are many cases of mothers who have kept their children from their fathers out of nothing but spite. As is usually the case, this author's note will make much more sense later.

Dakota and I had ended up spending two blissful days hold up in my cabin. We didn't get snowed in...but Dakota stayed anyway.

We had spent two days gorging our minds and imaginations on all things Harry Potter. We finished off all right movies and had even played a few rounds of Scene It? The Deluxe Harry Potter Edition. I was shocked to find that Dakota was more than a match for me at the video trivia game. It's like he really was my perfect match.

In-between all of the fun, we also got to know each other on a deeper level. It was easier for me to open up because I trusted Dakota. He must have felt the same way because he did his fair share of opening up over the course of the weekend.

I admitted that I had never been attracted to a real person until I met him. All of my childhood crushes had been on fictional characters like Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape. He hadn't laughed. He seemed to find it kind of endearing.

He had told me that he had finally had a long overdue talk with his father. He had learned a lot that he hadn't known before. His father had spent his whole life under the thumb of his father. When Dog said jump, Leland asked, how high? That's where the trouble had started. Dakota's mother couldn't handle Dog and his wife Beth (who, apparently, was not even Leland's real mother) constant presence in their lives and he couldn't stand Leland's blind devotion so she had taken him and his brother and filed for divorce. She didn't want the boys to be heavily featured on Dog's reality show so she made the decision to keep him and his brother from their dad. Leland hadn't been given a choice in the matter. The court sided with the mother, no questions asked. Leland had told Dakota that he had spent as much time with him when he was a kid as he was allowed. Lynette was a whole other story. Dakota discovered that his father hadn't cheated...she had. She was after nothing except his father's money. The moment Dog the Bounty Hunter had been canceled, she started looking for greener pastures. When Leland caught her cheating, the two had split up. Leland admitted to Dakota that he moved on with Jamie rather quickly but he had never cheated on a woman. Leland had shown true remorse for the way he had handled the situation with Dakota and his ex-girlfriend. All the father could see was his son's repeating the same mistake that he had just made himself. Dakota had been more than happy to hear that his father had moved to Alabama and had broken with his grandfather for good. He admitted that his relationship with his father would probably always be rocky because they were both hotheads but they had managed to get to a good place.

By the end of the weekend, I was positive that I was in love with him. I didn't know if or when to tell him so I kept it to myself. If he ever felt that way about me, I would let him say it first. Yes, I know I was acting like chicken shit.

When Monday came around I was sad to see him go off to work because I knew that he wouldn't be returning to my cabin, to my bed, that night. I had gotten used to having him around. I liked – more like LOVED – having him around.

We went about our week as usual. Between Dakota spending time with his dad and his step-mom and the influx of guests, we didn't have any time to spend together. I think I saw him for a total of ten minutes all week. When Thursday rolled around, I was close to going insane with my need to spend some time with him. I wasn't insane, I knew that I wouldn't die without him...but the need to be with him was still there and it was strong.

I am not going to lie and say that I wasn't nervous about our families meeting. I was freaking out like a First Year about to put on the Sorting Hat.

Luckily, my parents and Leland's dad and step-mom got on just fine. All of Jamie's tattoos had taken both my mother and GiGi aback at first but they quickly warmed to her. She was actually very friendly. She was nothing like the trampy whore that Dakota had originally thought she was.

Dinner had gone great. The conversation hadn't been forced and Dakota had kept his hand on my thigh underneath the table the whole time. It seemed like he had a need to be close to me and I loved it. It meant that I might not be alone in my feelings. After dinner, everyone had moved to my parents gigantic living room for coffee. Dad had walked GiGi home and put her to bed after her fifth glass of wine.

The evening was just coming to a close when I felt like the rug was pulled out from under me.

“So, Leland, are you still working in bail bonds in Alabama?” Dad asked.

“Yeah,” Leland nodded. “I opened my own office and I have a few guys on my crew. I'm hoping that Dakota here will take me up on my offer to join me in the business,”

What?


	10. Chapter 10

I ignored Dakota and my dad as they called for me to come back. I walked to the entryway, grabbed my coat off the rack, and shrugged into it as I opened the door and stomped out to my Range Rover. As I got behind the wheel, I saw Dakota in the light of my parents' porch, rushing out to follow me. I didn't care.

As I made the quick ten-minute drive to my cabin, I let the tears fall. I had finally opened up to someone. I had finally let someone in...and he was leaving me.

I had barely killed my engine when Dakota's pick-up truck pulled in beside me. I didn't want to talk to him. I got out and started stomping towards my front door without sparing a glance in his direction.

It was as I attempted to put my key in the lock with shaking hands that he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. I gave up and just started sobbing. I let my arms fall to my sides and he just held me tighter.

“Breathe, baby,” He cooed softly in my ear as he reached one hand down – making sure to keep one arm firmly around me – and grabbed my keys out of my hand.

I really don't even remember entering the house or Dakota leading me to the couch but suddenly that's where we were. He was seated next to me holding my hands in his.

“Winter...I'm not going anywhere, sweetie,” He told me softly.

“Really?” God, my voice sounded so weak. I hated it but even though he had said that he was staying, I still needed some extra reassurance.

“Really,” He reached up and cupped my cheek. “I've been going insane not being able to spend any time with you this week. When my dad offered me a job this morning, I didn't even consider it. I just told him I would think about it so he didn't bug me all day. I was going to tell him no tomorrow before he left. How can I move to Alabama when I can't seem to go without you for a few days while we are in the same city?” He chuckled.

Was he saying that he didn't want to live without me just like I didn't want to live without him?

“That's exactly what I'm saying,” The hand that was cupping my cheek moved to wipe away my tears. This was one time where I wasn't upset with myself for thinking out loud. “Do you know what it means when two people don't want to live without each other?”

“No,” I shook my head smiling. “What does it mean?”

“I'm pretty sure it means they love each other,” He dropped a kiss onto my lips.

“Do you love me?” I was pretty sure I already knew the answer but I asked the question anyway.

“I love you as much as Severus Snape loved Lily Potter,” Was his completely awesome answer.

“That's good,” I smiled. “Because I love you more than Severus Snape hated James Potter.”

The smile he gave me was pretty blinding right before his mouth came down on mine. Between being apart for most of the week and the confessions that we had just made....we got carried away pretty quick.

When we finally broke for air, I was straddling his lap on the couch and I leaned down to rest my head on his shoulder.

“Hey, baby?” He asked as he started rubbing a hand up and down my back.

“Yeah?” I closed my eyes. I was so comfortable and could easily fall asleep.

“I can't wait for you to get your cast off,” There was definitely more than a hint of desire in his voice when he spoke and suddenly the two weeks I had left before my cast came off seemed like an eternity.

“You and me both,” I laid a kiss on his neck.

“I'm still staying tonight...sex or no sex,” He told me firmly like I was really going to argue with him.

“I'd be Veela level pissed off if you didn't,” I responded lazily.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm NOT going to bash Leland's new wife. I'm not going to refer to her as the “War Widow” like some angry fans with too much time on their hands and way too much pent-up anger have been doing. I'm not going to portray her as a crazy bitch. No one knows a damn thing about the woman (though from the few Instagram posts I've seen while surfing the web, she seems like a perfectly pleasant person to me) and I'm pretty sure that most of us have never even met Leland. Being a fan of someone is supposed to be FUN. Being a fan means that we should be happy for Leland and Jamie. We should NOT be going Fatal Attraction crazy on Leland's new bride. If you suddenly find yourself with the urge to start a blog bashing the entire Chapman family with an emphasis on Leland and Jamie – who you are so jealous of that you can't even refer to her by name so instead you call her the “War Widow”...you have been in front of the TV and computer TOO LONG. Here's what you need to do: BACK AWAY FROM THE INTERNET, remember that there is a whole world out there and Leland Chapman is the NOT the be all end all of your universe. Is there a cute guy at work you like? Do you maybe have a boyfriend/husband that you have been neglecting while obsessing over a man that has no clue you exist? It is OKAY to interact with men that are in your actual orbit. Leland doesn't know you are alive so it's not cheating. The guys won't bite, I promise...unless you ask them nicely.
> 
> And to those who are bashing Jamie simply because of all of her tattoos and piercings...I advise you to stop reading my stories now because you are going to run into more than one leading lady who is going to be “trashy” to your narrow mind. You also would never want to come face to face with me because as one commenter on the Blog That Shall Not Be Named put it, I would scare you because I look like someone “you wouldn't want to run into in a dark ally” just like Jamie. For real, if you have a thing against people with tattoos and they “scare” you...why the holy fuck are you a fan of Leland (or anyone in the Chapman family really) in the first place?! LOOK at the man. Seriously, you didn't see a tatted up wife coming? I called that in Eden's Crush before Leland got married. Hell, I even called her name ten years ago in Dog's Miracle Worker.
> 
> So to summarize...If you can't stand a person simply because they are with someone that you have a crush on...grow up and get a life. If you are also reading my Prince Harry stories... the same thing goes for his new girlfriend so I don't have to keep repeating myself. Rant over and on with the story...

The next morning we awoke at dawn to someone ringing my doorbell.

“Who the hell?” Dakota grumbled pushing himself to sit up in bed.

I sat up with blurry eyes and looked at my alarm clock. It was 6:30 in the morning. Who the hell was right. It was way too early for visitors.

I went to get out of bed but Dakota gently pushed me back down. “I'll see who it is, you get some more rest.” He laid a soft kiss on my lips before getting out of bed and pulling on his jeans. He grabbed a t-shirt before making his way out of the bedroom and down the hall.

I heard the front door open and then close only a moment later. I heard footsteps coming down the hall and Dakota slipped back into the bedroom.

He sat next to me on the bed. “It's my dad, sweetie.” He informed me. “Him and Jamie are about to get on the road and he wanted to say goodbye. I'm going to have to go out and talk to him for a minute.” He rubbed a hand down my back.

I sat up and leaned against the headboard. “Okay,” I nodded sleepily. I really hoped Leland wasn't going to hate me for keeping Dakota in Colorado. “When you're done, bring him inside so I can say goodbye too,” I was going to be as nice as I could to the father of the man I loved.

“Alright,” Dakota stood and went to leave but he stopped suddenly. He turned back around and bent down to kiss me quickly but thoroughly. “Love you,” He smiled as he stood back up.

I really was not going to ever get tired of hearing him say that. “Love you, too,” I told him softly as I got out of bed.

Twenty minutes later, I was dressed in a pair of jeans and a Denver Broncos sweatshirt making a badly needed pot of coffee in my kitchen as I waited for Dakota and his dad to come inside.

I was a bundle of nerves wondering what Leland's reaction to Dakota staying in Aspen was going to be, so when the front door opened, I jumped almost a foot in the air and almost shattered my black cauldron coffee mug with the Hogwarts school crest on it.

I heard two distinctly different sets of footsteps coming down the hall and what sounded like laughter. I breathed a sigh of relief. If they were laughing, their conversation couldn't have gone that badly.

When they both arrived in the kitchen, with Jamie trailing behind them, they were wearing smiles on their faces. When Dakota caught my eye, he winked at me to let me know that everything was okay. The little tension that still remained drained away.

“So, you're stealin' my son, huh?” Leland said. There was a smile on his face so I knew that he wasn't upset.

“More like he's staked his claim on me and won't let go unless a restraining order is involved,” I replied with a straight face and a dry tone of voice. Severus Snape, I was not but I could be pretty sarcastic when I wanted to be.

Jamie caught on to the fact that I was joking first, and laughed. “Like father, like son,”

Leland glared at his wife while Dakota laughed. “Baby, Dad's invited us to spend Easter with him, Jamie and the rest of the family in Hawaii,” He informed me.

Did the rest of this family include Duane “Dog” Chapman? I had heard the recording that his son had sold to the National Enquirer and I wanted no part of him and – judging by his own words – he would want no part of me either.

“Dakota told us that Christmas is a busy time of year here,” Jamie spoke up. “And I have modeling jobs lined up all through December so we can't come back and visit. We figured it would be nice for Dakota to see his brother and sister and I'm sure they would love to meet you, Winter. You would be staying with us at our place on Kona. Everyone will be on their BEST behavior...I promise.”

It seemed like Dakota's step-mother knew exactly what I was thinking.

“My dad will keep his mouth shut,” Leland stated more bluntly. “If he doesn't he'll be shown the door.”

I rolled over the idea in my head for a little while. I was sure Dakota would want to see his mom and brother and sister and I really did want to meet them. Leland seemed like a nice guy and Jamie was very sweet. If we were going to be staying with them, I guess it would be okay. I hadn't been back to Hawaii since I was a little girl. It would be nice to visit the islands of my birth again after being away for so long.

“I'd love to come,” I smiled and nodded.

Dakota grinned and came and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Dakota, son, you are so lovesick, it's disgusting,” Leland shook his head and chuckled.

Dakota gave his dad the middle finger and I smacked him in the stomach with a laugh before turning my attention back to his dad and step-mom, “Would the two of you like a cup of coffee before you get on the road?” I offered.

“We'd love to, hon, but your daddy warned us that a blizzard is heading this way and we want to beat it before it gets here,” Jamie explained with a touch of remorse.

Yes! Another blizzard! That meant another chance to get snowed in with Dakota...it also meant that we needed to go to the grocery store because my cupboards were still pretty bare after our time spent together the previous weekend.

“I guess we will see you kids at Easter?” Leland came over and pulled his son into a quick hug. “I'll book your plane tickets and send you the information.” He told Dakota.

“Leland, we can buy our own tickets,” I protested. “It's nice enough that you're inviting us to stay for Easter.” I knew the Chapman family had money but I didn't feel right about Leland and Jamie footing the bill for our plane tickets. Flying from Colorado to Hawaii was NOT cheap.

Jamie waved her hand. “Consider it our Christmas gift to the two of you. I have yet to have all three of my step-kids in the same house since Leland and I got married. The tickets are on us.”

I finally agreed after a further ten minutes of going back and forth, by the end of which, I'm pretty sure that Dakota wanted to strangle me. After a round of hugs, Leland and Jamie got on the road and Dakota and me once again found ourselves alone.

“So, another blizzard,” Dakota smirked as he leaned back against the closed front door.

“Yep,” I moved to stand in front of him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “You know what that means?” I asked in a teasing whisper before laying a gentle kiss on his lips.

“That there's a good chance that I could get snowed in for a few days with my fine-ass girlfriend?” He tried to pull me back in for another kiss but I wouldn't let him.

“Nope,” I made a popping sound with my p. “It means we need to go to the grocery store,” I giggled and pulled away before going to grab my snow boots and jacket out of the closet.

“Tease,” I heard Dakota growl under his breath.


	12. Chapter 12

We hadn't gotten snowed in that weekend like we had hoped but we still spent the weekend together anyway. In fact, we had spent pretty much every night together in my cabin since Thanksgiving. I couldn't even remember the last time that Dakota had gone back to his cabin for anything besides a change of clothes and to check the mail.

It was Christmas morning and I work up in Dakota's arms and rolled over to stretch my arms over my head. I had gotten my cast removed two weeks earlier and I was enjoying once again having the full use of both of my arms. You never really know what you take for granted, like the use of your limbs, until it is taken from you.

“Merry Christmas, sweetie,” Dakota laid a kiss on the back my neck. His voice was still rough with sleep.

I turned around in his arms. “Merry Christmas, baby,” I said softly before he caught my lips in a lazy good morning kiss.

I moaned as I felt his hand travel down to my ass to give it a light squeeze. That had been his favorite place to grab whenever he kissed me ever since the night after my cast had been removed when we had made love for the first time.

“Want to go and open some presents?” He asked when he finally pulled away.

“Race you to the living room,” I pecked him on the lips before jumping out of bed and taking off towards the Christmas tree.

We had the radio on softly playing a station that was broadcasting nothing but Christmas music and we saved our gifts to each other for last as we opened the small pile of gifts under my Harry Potter themed Christmas tree.

Dakota's mom had sent him a gift card to his favorite clothing store and a box of his favorite saltwater toffee from a little store on the islands. She had sent me a gift card to Victoria's Secret (a very odd thing to receive from my boyfriend's mother) which made me blush because when Dakota saw it he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at me. We had exchanged gifts with my parents and GiGi the night before after dinner (from my parents we had received a paid week off from work and GiGi had made us both sweaters that were so ugly that they could probably put a Weasley Sweater to shame. Seriously, his was purple with stars and mine had a cow on the front) but we still had gifts from Leland and Jamie and Dakota's brother and sister. Leland and Jamie's gift was the promised plane tickets to Hawaii, a new UFC sweatshirt for Dakota, and a little Harry Potter lamp for me. It had a metal base and when you turned it on, it cast the image of a doe with the word, Always, underneath it onto the wall. Dakota's little brother had sent me a card and him a DVD home movie updating him on everything that he had missed in Hawaii since he had been gone. His little sister, Leiah, had sent a small, round, handmade clay Christmas tree ornament with a little painted red heart in the middle. Our initials had been carved inside the heart by the messy hand of a six-year-old. It was adorable and probably my favorite gift out of the lot because the little girl had put so much time and thought into it.

It was finally time to exchange our gifts and I was nervous about what I got him so I let Dakota go first.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and handed me a ring box. My heart stopped. I really hoped that whatever was in the box WASN'T an engagement ring. I was WAY too young for that.

I opened the box with slightly trembling fingers and breathed a huge sigh of relief when it wasn't THE ring...but it was still a ring.

“It's called a Claddagh ring,” He explained the two silver hands that were holding a sapphire heart on top of which rest a silver crown. “The hands symbolize friendship, the heart love, and the crown loyalty. It's an old Irish custom but, do you know how you are supposed to wear one if your heart is taken?” He asked as he took the box from me and extracted the ring, setting the box aside on the coffee table.

“You wear it on your right hand with the heart pointed towards you,” I answered him with a smile and silently thanked re-runs of Buffy the Vampire Slayer for educating me on Claddagh rings.

“I know that we're too young to be thinking about diamonds and white dresses but would you wear this ring as my promise to you that we will get there one day?” He looked into my eyes and asked.

“I'd love to,” I giggled while he slid the ring on my finger.

I was feeling much better about my gift to him as I made my way to the laundry room to retrieve Dakota's present...or should I say presents?

The shock on my boyfriend's face when I laid two ferrets – adopted from a local rescue – (one albino and one sable) on his lap was priceless. He had told me that he had owned a pair of ferrets as a kid and he had wanted more ever since Bonnie and Clyde had passed away.

“These little dudes mine?” He asked with a happy smile.

I sat back down beside him. “The white one is a boy and the other is a girl,” I explained. “And I was kind of hoping they could be ours. Look around the collar on the sable one.” I instructed.

Dakota did as he was told and found the key that I had attached to the animal's collar.

“What is this, baby?” He asked as he held up the key and looked at me questioningly.

“I wanted to know if you wanted to live with me full time and help me take care of them?” I chewed on my bottom lip nervously as I waited for him to reply.

“Hell yeah, sweetie, of course,” He laughed happily before laying a kiss on my lips.

“I love you,” I told him when he pulled away.

“I love you too,” He winked at me.

“So, what are we going to name these guys?” I reached out to pet the white ferret's head.

“I was thinking Malfoy and Granger after – according to you – the greatest Harry Potter couple that never was...and because Malfoy got turned into a ferret in the fourth book.” He replied as he set the pair down on the floor to play.

I just laughed as the radio began to play *NSYNC's, All I Want For Christmas Is You.

I got to my feet, careful not to step on one of our new pets. “Dance with me,” I held out my hand to him.

“With you, sweetie...always.” He said as he got to his feet, took my offered hand and used it to pull me into his arms...my absolute favorite place to me.

Neither one of us had attempted to go outside. As we danced, completely wrapped up in each other, neither one of us was aware that we had gotten when we had been wishing for since before Thanksgiving. A blizzard that was originally meant to miss Aspen, had taken a sudden turn in the night and dropped six feet of snow on the ground. We were snowed in until just before New Years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I skipped over the sex. I'm writing this for a teenage fan of Dakota's who needed her spirits boosted. I'm not comfortable writing sex scenes featuring Dakota. I'm close to thirty and I remember him as a little kid on Dog the Bounty Hunter. He is the same age as the younger sister that I helped to raise. It would be creepy so...nope, not going to go there. If you want me to be honest, the only reason I'm making it through writing this without feeling like a pedophile is because when I'm writing Dakota, I'm not actually imagining Dakota. In my head, I'm picturing a guy I dated for two years when I was right out of high school. I have even typed his name instead of Dakota's more than once. For those who read the comments section...yes, that guy is the same (now) friend of mine who seems to get a kick out trolling my stories when he's bored and needs something to do.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fans of Dog and Beth Chapman this story is NOT for you. I've portrayed them the same way they've been portraying themselves recently.

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Kona, Hawaii

 

I was nervous as all hell. I was about to meet Dakota's extended family for the first time. While Dakota's parents, step-mom, and uncle Duane Lee liked and approved of me, I knew that Dog and Beth Chapman were going to be whole other ballgame.

“Winter, are you alright, hon?” Jamie's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

Oh, that's right. I was standing at the kitchen counter, helping Dakota's step-mom put the finishing touches on Easter lunch. Dakota and I had been on the island for five days. I had met his brother, Cobie and his too cute for words baby sister, Leiah. I had even met his goofy uncle Duane Lee and his wife. Other than that, the rest of the Chapmans stayed away. I found this odd. Dakota told me that Leland and Jamie only used their vacation home a few times a year. You would think the family would want to spend more time together.

Speaking of Jamie, she looked more nervous than I felt as she handed Leiah a carrot stick to snack on.

“Are you okay?” I answered her question of concern with one of my own.

She nodded and gave a forced smile. “Yeah, the Chapman family can just be a bit much to take.” She admitted.

Wonderful. Jamie was a member of the Chapman family and she was dreading their visit. This could in no way bode well for me.

“So, you and Dakota got in late last night,” The older woman changed the subject. “Does the bandages you're both sporting on your wrists have anything to do with that?” She smirked.

I should have guessed that she would figure it out. Jamie had enough ink of her own after all.

I quickly finished stacking pieces of raw broccoli onto a veggie platter and pulled the gauze bandage aside to show her my tattoo.

A doe was inked into the skin of my left wrist. Above the creature's head in a loopy script were the letters, D.C. Below that animal's hooves was the word Always.

“That's beautiful,” Jamie nodded approvingly. “I take it my step-son has the same one with your initials?”

I nodded with a smile. The tattoos had been Dakota's idea. Cobie, a budding artist, had designed them for us.

“What do you think your parents are going to say?” She asked.

Oh, I had a few ideas...none of them good.

I was saved from having to answer the question by the ringing of the doorbell.

Within ten minutes of meeting Dog and Beth, I knew that I didn't care for them. They were guests in Leland and Jamie's home but from the moment they walked in the door, they completely took over.

Dog made sure that everyone's attention was on him by telling one fish story after another. Beth seemed to be trying to make Jamie feel as little as humanly possible. She criticized her cooking, her wardrobe...anything and everything she could think of.

By the time lunch was over and everyone was gathered on the lanai, Dog, Beth, and their daughter Cecily had made it very clear that they didn't like me one bit.

“So, basically, you're going to college so you can be a hotel clerk for the rest of your life?” Beth said snidely when I told her what I was going to school for.

“Owner,” Dakota corrected tersely as he reached over and took my hand. “Of one of the most popular and successful ski resorts in the country.”

“What? She can't speak for herself?” Dog glared at his grandson.

“Dad, give it a rest,” Leland warned.

“Hey, Mom,” Cecily shot me an evil smirk as she spoke. “Cobie told me that Dakota and Winter got matching tattoos...isn't that sweet?”

Oh, that little bitch would make a brilliant Death Eater.

“Dakota Chapman, please tell me that you aren't that dumb? This girl is a fling at best!”

I had had enough. If I didn't get out o there, I was going to be brought up on murder charges. I quickly got to my feet from the porch swing I had been seated on.

“Sweetie, where are you going?” Dakota grabbed my hand.

“I need to get out of here.”

He nodded and got to his feet. “I'll come with you.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Love like Crazy is copyright © Lee Brice. I make no claims of ownership.

Dakota had ended up borrowing his dad’s Hummer and we left to take a drive of the island. As we were leaving we could hear Leland, Jamie, and Duane Lee and his wife, Kasey, arguing with Dog, Beth, and Cecily.

We probably drove aimlessly for a good two hours before we finally parked in a deserted beachfront parking lot.

The sun was just starting to set over the ocean and Dakota turned the radio station on to a local country station before pushing his seat back and lying down.

“Come here, baby,” He reached out for me.

I crawled over to straddle his lap and lay my head on his broad, firm chest.

“I’m so sorry they acted like that.” He wrapped his arms around me.

We hadn’t discussed what had happened at the house since we had left.

“It’s not your fault,” I assured him. “I’m in love with you, not them.”

He kissed the top of my head. “Still, I promise that you’ll never have to see them again. After that, I really am fucking done with them this time.”

I knew that he was angry because Dakota never really cursed like that.

“Are you sure that’s what you really want?” I sat up in his lap so I could look in his eyes. “They’re your family.” I didn’t want him to do anything that he would regret later once he had a chance to calm down.

He shook his head. “My mom and dad, Cobie and Leiah, Jamie, Duane Lee, and Kasey are my family.” He reached up and cupped my cheek. “You are my family. You’re my world. I don’t need them.”

I smiled and let him pull down for a kiss before laying my head back down on his chest. A Lee Brice song was just starting to play as Dakota wrapped me back up in his strong arms.

“They called them crazy when they started out.

Said “Seventeen’s too young to know what love’s about.”

They’ve been together fifty-eight years now.

That’s crazy.

 

Just ask him how he did,

He’ll say, “Pull up a seat. It’ll only take a minute, to tell you everything”

 

Be her best friend, tell the truth,

Overuse “I love you”,

Go to work, do your best,

Don’t outsmart your common sense.

Never let your prayin’ knees get lazy,

And love like crazy.”  
As we laid there together in the orange glow of a Hawaiian sunset with the sound of waves crashing in the distance, I couldn’t help but be impacted by the words of the song. Like the guy and girl in the lyrics, me and Dakota were still young but we truly loved one another I didn’t see our feelings ever changing.

The lyrics must have gotten to Dakota too because his next question proved it.

“Will you marry me, Winter?”


	15. Chapter 15

“Will you marry me, Winter?”

Very slowly, I sat up to look at him. The steering wheel was now jabbing me in the spine but I was too stunned to care.

“You can’t be serious.” I shook my head.

“Why not?” He challenged.

He looked as relaxed as could be, reclined in his seat.

“We’re not ready.” I shook my head again.

He actually had to nerve to smirk at me. When the hell had my boyfriend become Draco Malfoy? Wait a minute...that explained everything! The Chapmans were really the Malfoy family using polyjuice potion! After Voldemort was defeated, they fled the wizarding world because everyone wanted to kill them.

“Sorry, Luna...but no. I think my family is screwed up enough all on its own, thanks.”

Fuck! I needed to get help. The thinking out loud shit really needed to stop.

“Why? I think it’s cute.”

Double fuck!

“And we are ready to get married.” Dakota brought the conversation back on track. “We already live like man and wife. We get up in the morning and you make breakfast while I take care of Granger and Malfoy. We take turns cleaning and cooking. We go grocery shopping together. Every week on payday, we sit down and budget our money together...speaking of wifely behavior...I’m pretty sure the only reason my parents know I’m alive half the time is because you make a point of calling every week and checking in. I haven’t signed a birthday or get well card since November because you do it for me. You haven’t shoveled snow or filled your own gas tank in just as long. This is all the behavior of an already married couple.”

Not once during his entire speech did he even lift his head.

“We’re too young! You just turned twenty-two and I’m only nineteen! A teenager!” I continued to argue as the steering wheel continued to dig into my back.

“Lily Potter was only eighteen when she married James Potter. By the time she was your age, she was already pregnant with Harry.” That damn Malfoy smirk was back on his face. “Severus Snape was only twenty-one when Lily died and he pledged his life to fighting the Dark Lord and keeping her son safe. Age is a state of mind and what you make it. It only matters if you let it matter.”

Damn him! He had (accurately) used Harry Potter against me!

“Dakota, you’re only asking because you’re pissed off at your grandpa.”

It was the last negative argument that I had even though I was pretty sure it wasn’t true. Why was I fighting this so hard? Why did I have to be the patronus to the dementor of my own happiness? When I thought of my future, Dakota was always the husband that I saw by my side. My imaginary children all had his dark brown, almond shaped eyes. Why was I letting my age hold me back?

Dakota reached up a hand and ran it over his face before he huffed, “Look in the glove compartment. That’s where Dad said he hid it.”

Curiously, and with a great deal of contorting myself in directions I wasn’t meant to go, I leaned over and opened the glove compartment. Shifting aside some insurance papers, I found...a ring box.

Picking it up, almost like it was made of glass, I moved back to my position straddling Dakota’s lap and just stared at the box.

“Open it,” He bounced his lap one time to get my attention.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the lid...and found the weirdest looking ring that I have ever seen. The silver band was inlaid with some kind of wood and there were three stones - a large diamond in the center, flanked by two smaller diamonds.

“The band is made with Hawaiian koa wood.” He explained. “I knew you wouldn’t want a traditional ring so I had this made. This way you could always carry a little piece of the islands we came from. I had thought about a lava stone...but I was scared of pissing off Pele.”

I couldn’t have held back the tears if I had tried. One minute, I was trying to think of any excuse I could to get out of marrying Dakota, the next I’m sobbing harder than when I found out Alan Rickman died.

“Damn, baby, come here.” He took the ring box from my hand and set it on the passenger seat before pulling me down to lay against his chest as he wrapped his well-muscled arms around me. “I didn’t mean to upset you, Winter.” He dropped a kiss to my forehead. “I just wanted you to know that I was already thinking about marrying you. A friend of Jamie’s made the ring and I was going to ask you on your birthday. I even have you dad’s permission.”

“I’m not mad at you and you didn’t upset me. I’m just made at myself.” I admitted as my tears continued to flow all over his nice blue dress shirt.

“Why are you mad at yourself, sweetie?” He ran a hand up and down my neck and my tears slowly started to ease up.

“Because I know you’re right. We pretty much are already married.” I spoke into his shirt as a few tears still managed to escape. “Even our parents know we are meant to be together. When I think of our future...I see us married. I see a bunch of kids driving me crazy as I homeschool them. I want to marry you. The only reason I’m saying no is because I’m worried about the rest of the world...a world that’s never accepted me. I’m letting what society thinks control me. That’s why I’m mad at myself.”

“This is your chance to break the hold that society has on you.” He held me tight and leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Say, ‘fuck the world’ and marry me, Winter.”

I broke out of the hold that he had on me and sat up so I could look him in the eyes.

“Yes,” I nodded.

I went to reach for the ring but Dakota already had it in his hand and was removing my Claddagh ring and replacing it with koa ring.

I moved the Claddagh ring to my right hand before leaning down for a kiss.

“I love you, Winter.” He whispered against my lips when we parted for air.

“I love you, Dakota,” I responded, suddenly wishing that the two of us were in a locked room with a box of condoms and a bed.

“You know the beach is deserted and there’s a blanket in the backseat.” He must have read my mind but we still had a problem.

“We don’t have any condoms, baby.” I groaned.

I really needed to go on the pill.

“I’m willing to take the chance if you are.” He shrugged.

“Dakota, this is a gamble where if we lose...we end up with a baby...as in another human being we would be responsible for.” I pointed out the obvious. “Once again, I will point out...you are twenty-two and I’m only nineteen.”

“I wouldn’t think of a baby with the woman I love as losing.” Dakota shook his head. “I’d think if it as a blessing. Money wouldn’t be a problem. My brief stint on reality TV paid pretty well and I have my trust fund from my dad. Your parents pay us more than the living wage and we barely have any expenses living on resort property. We could easily afford to remodel the second bedroom in the cabin to turn it into a nursery. Your mom would be over the moon to have a grandkid and would give both of us plenty of time off.” He had clearly thought about this before. “And who cares how old we are? Lily Potter had Harry when she was twenty. Princess Diana was twenty when she had Prince William. My mom was eighteen when she had me. Are you going to let society say when we can have a baby?”

Well, when he put it that way, it made me want to try and have his baby. Me being me...I told him so.

“I’m game, Winter.” He reached up and cupped my cheek. “I really don’t want to wait if you don’t. I want to be a dad. I want to make you a mom.”

I almost started crying again. How did I get lucky enough to find the Harry to my Ginny?

“Can we get married this summer? Here on the islands?” I asked.

Hawaii was a spiritual place. The place that we had both taken our first breaths. Our first steps had been taken on Hawaiian soil. The everlasting symbol of our love that Dakota had just placed on my finger was a piece of Hawaii herself. It was only right that our marriage start in this beautiful, magical place.

“Of course we can, sweetie.” He ran a hand through my hair. “This is where I was hoping to marry you.”

“I want to have your baby,” I told him as I caught his hand and kissed the palm. “Not because we don’t have a condom. I want to keep trying after tonight. I want a family with you...only with you.”

He pulled me down and kissed me hard.

“I’ll grab the blanket...hop up.” He lightly smacked my ass when we parted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, a lot of native Hawaiians believe that it is unlucky to take lava rocks away from the islands. Bad luck is said to befall those who do take rocks home with them from Hawaii. Mauna Kea actually receives hundreds of returned rocks by mail every year from tourists that are experiencing bad luck after taking them. It is called the Curse of Pele. Look it up. Even if you DON’T believe in curses, it is extremely disrespectful to Hawaiian culture to take lava rocks or sand from the islands...so, please don’t do it.


	16. Chapter 16

It was after eleven by the time we made it back to the house but Leland and Jamie were still awake...and Dakota’s Uncle Duane Lee and his wife, Kasey, were still there. Dog, Beth, and the flubberworm they called a daughter were thankfully gone.

“We were starting to get worried about the two of you,” Leland said as we joined the family in the living room.

Jamie just shot me a knowing look as Dakota took a seat in the recliner and pulled me to sit in his lap.

“So, we have some good news...” Dakota said as he slowly rocked the chair with his foot.

I knew that he was going to tell them about the engagement. We had decided, while lying in each other’s arms on the beach, to just let everyone know. If we were getting married in only a few months, there was no point in keeping it a secret. We would tell his family while we were there in Hawaii and we would tell mine just as soon as we returned to the mainland.

“And this good news would be...?” Leland prompted.

“I asked Winter to marry me tonight and she said yes.” Dakota was grinning like a fool as he announced.

Leland smiled before getting to his feet and walking over to slap Dakota on the shoulder. “Congratulations, son...you made the right choice this time.”

“I know I did.” He replied as he laid a playful kiss on my cheek.

I giggled as Jamie said, “I’m so happy for the two of you but I thought you were going to wait until her birthday to ask her, Dakota?”

Leland went and retook his seat next to his wife on the couch and Dakota wrapped his arms around my waist and gave me a gentle squeeze.

“Well, plans changed tonight.” He responded.

“You mean, your granddad changed them?” Duane Lee spoke up with a laugh. He was seated on the loveseat with his arm around Kasey’s shoulders. “Welcome to the family, Winter. With the additions of you, Jamie, and Kasey, the decent people are starting to outnumber the crazies in the Chapman family.”

“Thanks...I guess?” I laughed. How did you respond to something like that?

“What did end up happening with Granddad anyway?” Dakota finally inquired.

As much as I really didn’t want to think about the great Dog the Bounty Hunter, I had to admit that I was curious.

“Your dad and stepmom had some not nice things to say to him and Beth and then your dad asked them to leave.” Was Kasey’s polite way of putting it.

Duane Lee snorted. “More like told them to get the fuck out.”

“Language!” Kasey scolded as she smacked her husband slightly in the stomach.

I had only met Kasey earlier that day but I knew two things - 1. She was a tatted up bail bondswoman/bounty hunter with green hair (emerald to be exact). 2. Despite her biker chick looks, she was a southern belle from Florida who really hated cursing and vulgar language of any kind.

“Why are you hitting me when Leland is the one who originally said it?” Duane Lee snapped.

Leland just shook his head and changed the subject, “Dakota, how would you feel about me and Jamie moving to Denver?”

This question surprised me almost as much as Dakota proposing. Leland hadn’t been living in Alabama long and Jamie had spent her whole life there. What would prompt that kind of a move?

I turned and looked at Dakota to see his reaction.

He shook his head, “It wouldn’t bother me...I think we both would enjoy having the two of you closer. I’m going to be honest, Pops...we really don’t plan on waiting to have a baby...and I’d really like to have you around for that.”

Dakota was never that open or emotional when speaking to or about his father so I was pleasantly surprised. It looked like old wounds really could heal.

“I’m honored that you want me around for that, son, really.” Leland nodded. He seemed a bit choked up.

“The reason your dad’s asking is because him and your aunt and uncle want to merge their companies and base themselves out of Denver. A&E is even talking about doing a new show...without your grandparents.” Jamie explained so Leland could have a moment to collect himself.

“We’d like you to join us, Dakota...you’re a great hunter, kid.” Duane Lee added.

Again, I looked to Dakota to see his reaction.

He looked torn and I knew why. He loved bounty hunting - it was in his blood - but he loved me more. He thought that I would be upset if he didn’t spend his life helping me run the resort when, in reality, I didn’t care how he earned his paycheck so long as he was happy and came home to me at night.

“The pay would be better and if we’re trying for a family the extra money wouldn’t hurt,” I told him quietly.

“What are you saying, sweetie?” A smile slowly spread across his face.

“I’m saying that the Chapmans - at least those of us sitting in this room - stick together...and that’s what I think you should do it.” I told him firmly. “Running the resort is my dream...being a bounty hunter is yours. Go for it, baby.”

Right there, in front of a good portion of the Chapman family, he pulled me in for a passionate kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Kasey character that is mentioned is the main character in an upcoming, still untitled sister fic to this story for those who are curious.


	17. Epilogue

_ 10 YEARS LATER _

“ _The reality show, Dog the Bounty Hunter, first aired twenty-three years ago and while the big Dog has been in retirement for close to a decade, his sons, fifty-four-year-old Duane Lee Chapman II and fifty-one-year-old Leland Chapman, as well as his thirty-two-year-old grandson, Dakota Chapman are keeping the family bounty hunting tradition alive._

_Tonight on 20/20, the Chapman family opens up for the first time...including discussing the famous Chapman family estrangement.”_

“I can't believe that we agreed to do this.” I groaned and buried my face in Dakota's chest. Who I thought I was hiding from, I had no idea.

When the producers of _20/20_ had approached the family and asked us to do a special, I must have been in a really good mood to have agreed. Actually, I was in a good mood. That had been the day that I found out that I was pregnant for the fourth time.

As if on cue, my unborn son gave me a swift kick to the kidney.

“Urgh,” I moaned in frustration and discomfort. I was three days overdue and miserable. I shivered a little and Dakota reached to end of the bed and pulled the comforter up and over us. I turned my attention back to the television that hung on the wall over our dresser.

“ _For the past nine years, cameras have followed the second and third generations of Chapmans as they've hunted criminals in Colorado. The Dog House premiered in January 2018 on the A &E network and is currently in the middle of filming its tenth season._

_Over the years, fans have grown to know and love Leland, Duane Lee, and Dakota as entities separate of Duane “Dog” Chapman._

_We were there when Leland and his second wife, Jamie, welcomed twins Eliza Mary and Beau Lee in season one._

_We were there when Duane Lee and his second wife, fellow bounty hunter and cast mate, Kasey traveled to Michigan to adopt son, Killian James. We were with them in Oklahoma when they adopted daughter, Penelope Amber. We watched as the couple welcomed son, Greyson Joseph in season four._

_Cameras were on hand in 2019 when Dakota and wife, Winter became first-time parents to son, Maverick Leland._

_Now, almost a decade after the show's pilot, only 20/20 can tell you what the Chapmans are up to now. We will start with fan favorite, Dakota.”_

I started praying that I would go into labor so that I didn't have to watch this.

“ _Dakota resides in Aspen, Colorado where his wife, Winter, is the manager of her family's popular ski resort. We sat down with the couple in the three story cabin that they call home at the base of Aspen Mountain._

_Reporter: How long have the two of you been married?_

_Dakota: Ten years this June._

_Winter (giggles): We were still babies when we got married and started having babies._

_Speaking of babies...remember baby Maverick? Well, he is a baby no more. He's eight-years-old and third grader who is homeschooled by mom, Winter...and he isn't alone. Dakota and Winter are also the proud parents of two daughters. Their six-year-old daughter, Scarlett Amiyah was born in January 2021. She was followed in August 2025 by two-year-old sister, Willa Cadence._

_Reporter: So, you two have a houseful and it looks like that house is getting fuller. (She nods at Winter's barely there baby bump)_

_Dakota: Yeah, she swears this is the last one but we'll see. (He smirks playfully at Winter who just rolls her eyes._

_Reporter: Do you know if you are having a boy or a girl?_

_Winter: It's a little boy...finally. Mav's been asking for a little brother pretty much from the moment he learned to talk. (laughs)_

_Reporter: Another Chapman man in the world. (shakes head) Does he have a name?_

_Dakota: Zane Dakota...and Winter is a saint for raising Chapman kids. For real, she's superwoman. She raises and homeschools the kids and she runs the resort. My world wouldn't turn and I wouldn't be able to do what I do if I didn't have her waiting at home for me. The day I met her, I was blessed.”_

“Have I told you how much I love you recently?” I asked as I leaned up and placed a kiss on his chin.

“It's always nice to hear it, sweetie.” He kissed the top of my head as he started to gently rub my belly. He knew from experience that it soothed my sore stomach muscles.

A sharp pain (that was very familiar to a mother with three kids) hit my back and traveled to my stomach. I had been having Braxton hicks contractions for over a month so I didn't think anything of it. I simply took a deep breath to try and relax myself and turned my attention back to the television.

“ _Reporter: How does Dog feel about his great-grandchildren?_

_Winter (smiles uneasily): Dog has never met the kids...I'm pretty sure that he hasn't met Leland or Duane Lee's youngest children either._

_Reporter (clearly surprised): Seriously? But on his reality show, he always seemed like a loving, doting grandfather. It's hard to believe that he has grandkids that he's never met._

_Dakota (stony look on his face): The reality of the situation is that Dog didn't play a huge role in my childhood...or the childhoods of my dad or uncle for that matter. Growing up, I saw him very infrequently, and when I did see him the cameras were almost always rolling to make him look good. The last time I spoke to my grandfather was in 2017. I remember because it was the same day that Winter and I got engaged. Dog and Beth spent most of the afternoon being very unkind to Winter and my stepmom, Jamie. Both are very sweet women who did not deserve to be treated badly simply because they fell in love with Chapmans and didn't fit Dog and Beth's image of a perfect Chapman wife. I can forgive, but I can't forget, and to be honest, in ten years, neither Dog or Beth has reached out to try and make amends.”_

At this point in the interview, it's obvious that Dakota got a bit choked up. You see, he just couldn't wrap his head around his grandfather's behavior. In the last ten years, Dakota and Leland had grown closer than most father and sons. Dakota went to his when he needed advice or simply just to talk and vent. Leland had even been the good grandfather and paced the waiting room when I had been in labor with each of our three kids. He didn't even care that we made him a grandfather at forty-three. He proudly showed off pictures of Maverick, Scarlett, and Willa to anyone who was nice (and dumb) enough to say they would look.

My dad also fell into the proud grandfather category. Zane was to be his namesake and if he was proud of his grandsons, his granddaughters had him wrapped around their collective fingers.

Now that Dakota was a father himself, Dog's actions made even less sense to him. My husband couldn't imagine being estranged from any of our kids for any reason. He couldn't even go to bed at night unless he had checked in on the kids. He never left for work until he had hugged and kissed all three goodbye. Just like my dad and Leland, Dakota was an amazing father. Maverick was our oldest and only eight and I knew that, already, Dakota was terrified of sending him off into the real world in ten years.

As another Braxton hicks contraction that I was starting to suspect wasn't actually a Braxton hicks contraction ripped through me, I did my best to breathe and once again returned my attention to the TV. I knew that at this point in the interview I had stepped in for an upset Dakota.

“ _Winter: What matters most is that our children have loving grandparents and step-grandparents. They have a great aunt and great uncle who spoil them rotten. They have me and Dakota who would die for them. They are surrounded by love and acceptance. I said this once, what feels like a million years ago but I'll say it again...this group of Chapmans sticks together and that isn't going to change.”_

“Have I told you how much I love _you_ recently?” Dakota threw my earlier words back at me as another contraction hit. “Because I do, Luna.” He used the nickname that I had grown used to over the years. “You've given me the world – a happy marriage, beautiful babies. You're amazing, sweetie.”

His words were so sweet and I wanted to tell him how much they meant to me but another contraction hit just as I felt a gush of warm water between my legs.

“Dakota, baby, I love you too but I think Zane is finally ready to meet his daddy.”

_ **FINIS** _

 

 

[MY WEBSITE](http://www.badwolf1988.wixsite.com/badwolf1988)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read and enjoyed this story!


	18. ORIGINAL RETELLING

I have started rewriting this story as a full-length novel called, _Luna_. It is posted under @ChloeSullivan1988, the screen name all of my original work is now posted under.

 

 

**_[MY WEBSITE](http://www.badwolfrose.com) _ **


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